Method and apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bail handles

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bail handles. This apparatus is used in combination with a wire bailforming mechanism which feeds, cuts and forms wire into a wire bail for attachment to an eared container. The bail-forming apparatus has upper and lower dies which have their midportions contoured to receive and retain cut length of plastic tubing as a length of wire is inserted therethrough after which it is bent into a generally U-shaped bail. A grip transfer arm is mounted on the bail-forming mechanism and at its initial tubing-receiving limit of movement receives an advancing end of a length of tubing and as the arm is moved to its tube-delivering limit of movement the tubing is cut and then positioned in way of the advancing wire used to make the bail handle. The tubing advance mechanism has a check mechanism disposed to engage the tubing so as to permit only a forward movement of the tubing. This advance mechanism includes a movable gripping mechanism disposed to grip the tubing when moved to provide the advancing motion and to slide on the tubing when moved counterflow to the advancing motion. The delivery arm has means for cutting the length of tubing advanced into the desired length and a tubing retaining means for retaining and positioning the tubing as it is received and moved toward and into the dies of the bail-forming apparatus.

United States Patent Heisler [451 July 11, 1972 Raymond A. l-Ieisler,657 Dakota Trail, Franklin Lakes Township, NJ. 07417 Filed: Jan. 19,1971 Appl. No.: 107,622

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 825,800,May I9, 1969, abandoned.

[72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-1homas H. Eager Armmq-Ralph R. Roberts ABSTRACT Amethod and apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bail handles.This apparatus is used in combination with a wire bail-forming mechanismwhich feeds, cuts and forms wire into a wire bail for attachment to aneared container. The bailforming apparatus has upper and lower dieswhich have their midportions contoured to receive and retain cut lengthof plastic tubing as a length of wire is inserted therethrough afierwhich it is bent into a generally U-shaped bail. A grip transfer arm ismounted on the bail-fonning mechanism and at its initialtubing-receiving limit of movement receives an advancing 52] us. Cl...29/439, 29/208 8, 29/208 C, n of a length f ing n as he a m is mo oits tube- 29 24 to 75, 40 93 B delivering limit of movement the tubingis cut and then posis 1 1 Int. Cl. ..B23p 11 00, 823p 19/04 tioned in yOfthe advancing wire used to make the bail 58 Field of Search ..29/439,208 c, 208 13,433, die The tubing advance mechanism has a checkmechanism 9 234 241, (3/75, 93 B disposed to engage the tubing so as topermit only a forward movement of the tubing. This advance mechanismincludes a [56] References Cited movable gripping mechanism disposed togrip the tubing when moved to provide the advancing motion and to slideon the UNITED STATES PATENTS tubing when moved counterflow to theadvancing motion. The

delivery arm has means for cutting the length of tubing ad- 3,123,9063/1964 Fnnk ..29/24| x need into the desired length and a tubingretaining means 3,241,578 3/1966 l-le sler ....|40/93 B for retainingand positioning the tubing as it is received and 3'444905 5/ Helsle'140/75 moved toward and into the dies of the bail-forming apparatus.3.462.823 8/1969 Heisler ..29/208 B 30 Chins, 37 Drawing Figures W i O oo 3 o e r I 0 as 0 o l 1 j v o O x 7 f Q r Q Q It o O I A I V A n 6 i Wk I i i E Y LMQ, 0 l? y l e 1 l U6 i 4: W L- a 1 0 w o r r 52 53 i a: 6850 I is I iii T I i O {ION I P PATENTEBJUL 11 1972 3.675.305

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PLASTIC GRIPS T WIRE BAIL HANDLES Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 825,800,filed May 19, l969 and having the same title and inventor. With theacceptance of the filing of this continuation-in-part application, theapplication Ser. No. 825,800 is abandoned.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This continuation-in-partapplication incorporates the basic concept of the wire advancing,cutting and bending as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,578 which issuedMar. 22, 1966. A wire bail formed with a plastic grip portion is shownin my US. Pat. No. 3,444,905 which issued May 20, 1969. Thiscontinuation-in-part application incorporates the basic concept as shownin said patent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention With reference tothe classification of art as established in the United States PatentOffice this invention pertains to the general class of Wireworking, andin particular to the subclass of article making or forming" and moreparticularly to the further subclass of bails."

2. Description of the Prior Art U-shaped bails of wire are well known inthe art, and more recently apparatus combining the operation of formingand applying wire bails to eared containers are also well known. Inparticular, high speed apparatus for forming and applying a wire bail toan eared container in one operation is fully disclosed in my U.S. Pat.No. 3,241,578 of Mar. 22, i966.

The present invention, to be hereinafter described, relates to theproviding of a handgrip of plastic tubing to the midportion of a wirebail as made by mechanism, as for example, in the bail-forming andapplying apparatus shown in my abovereferenced US. Patent. In bailsformed and applied by apparatus of this type, the bail is characterizedin that it is a single length of wire which is usually of a diameter ofabout ninety to one hundred twenty-five thousandths of an inch indiameter. This bail is attachable to an eared container often containingpaint or other material of heavy consistency. This heavy containerbecomes difficult or painful to carry by a bail of plain wire. It isknown to provide wire bail handles for containers of more than l galloncapacity in which, prior to the application of the bail to thecontainer, there is provided a grip support in the form of a U-shape. Itis also known to provide a plastic or wooden handgrip which is intendedto rotate on the midportion of a formed wire bail. Apparatus and methodsfor providing an inexpensive plastic handgrip on a wire bail for use oncontainers as small as one gallon is shown in the present invention.

A method of applying a plastic tube grip portion to wire bail handles isshown in my above-reference US. Pat. No. 3,444,905 issued May 20, 1969.In this patent is shown a method and apparatus for providing a wire bailwith a portion of plastic tubing of sufiicient length to allow graspingby the hand and of a sufficient resilience to cushion the impact of theweight of the contents of the container upon the fingers of the onecarrying the container. This tubing length is mounted midpoint of thewire bail. The resulting resilient grip portion is comfortable to graspand, when desired, permits the use of wire bail of smaller diameter andhigher tensile strength for attachment to the eared container.

Insofar as is known a bail-forming and applying mechanism of a type suchas is disclosed in my above-identified US. Pat. No. 3,241,578 has notbeen combined with apparatus for automatically providing a handgrip onthe bail except as shown in said identified US. Pat. No. 3,444,905. Theinvention as shown and described in this application is an improvementof the apparatus and method of that US. Patent and provides an improvedmeans of feeding the tubing to a cutoff and transfer apparatus. Both apreferred embodiment and an alternate embodiment of a tubing transferarm is shown in the present application. There is also shown apparatusfor making a wire bail having a plastic handgrip mounted thereon, thisbail having ends formed for the hand attaching of the bail to an earedcontainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus of this invention is adapted foruse with bailforming mechanism such as identified in my US. Pat. No.3,241,578. In combination with this bail-forming mechanism there isprovided an advancing mechanism for plastic tubing. In one embodimentthe plastic tubing feeding mechanism includes a pair of one'way gripclamps; one clamp pair is a check means disposed in a fixed relationshipto a tubing guide track and arranged to permit the ready advance oftubing to and into the cutoff and transfer mechanism. The other clamppair is carried by a cycling mechanism and provides a determined linearstroke of movement of the clamp pair by which the tubing is gripped soas to advance the tubing toward the cutoff mechanism. On the returnstroke the cycled clamp pair is moved to slide over the tubing andtoward the fixedly located check clamp pair.

In another embodiment this mechanism includes a pair of meshed gearswhich has a recess formed in each of the toothed portions of the gears.In this recess the tubing is fed to a cutoff and transfer mechanismwhich may be powered by the bailforming apparatus, so that prior to thefeeding of a wire in place in the bail-forming mechanism, a determinedlength of plastic tubing in a timed relationship to the wire feed is fedfor a determined period of time into the cutoff and transferringmechanism. Prior to the feeding of the wire into the bail-forming dies alength of plastic tubing is cut and transferred to a position preciselyin the way of the infeeding wire.

In one embodiment the wire bails with plastic grip mounted thereon aremade in mechanism for automatically attaching the bails to earedcontainers. In another embodiment the wire bails with plastic gripmounted thereon are made with ends formed for hand attaching of the bailto an eared container.

In one embodiment there is shown a tubing cutting arrangement wherein apair of razor blades is disposed so as to precisely cut a portion of thetubing to provide a trimmed end of the cut and transferred tubing.

It is an object of this invention to provide with wire bailformingapparatus a bail having a plastic tubing handgrip disposed intermediateits ends. This handgrip portion is formed with the midportion of thebail and is supplied to a cutoff and transfer mechanism by a tubingadvancing mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide in combination witha wire bail-forming apparatus, a tubing receiving and transfer armhaving an open-sided longitudinal receiving groove sized to slidablyreceive and retain for forward transfer a length of resilient tubingwhich is a loose fit on the straight length of wire as fed to thebail-forming apparatus. The groove has a relief slot provided in itsforward edge, said slot is made of a determined width sufficient toenable the length of tubing to be locally compressed and displaced fromits round condition to permit the tubing and wire therein to be drawnthrough the slot as the transfer arm is moved from a bail-formingposition to a tubing receiving condition.

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of apparatus and method ofmounting a grip portion of plastic tubing on a wire bail which isautomatically applied to eared containers. There has also been chosen aspecific embodiment of apparatus and method of making a wire bail forattaching to an eared container, this wire bail having a grip portion ofplastic tubing fed by a tubing feeding mechanism. An alternateembodiment of a tubing cutoff mechanism is shown in which razor bladesare used to provide smooth-cut tubing ends. A preferred and alternateembodiment of both a transfer arm as sembly and a drive for the arm areshown in the following description and drawings.

In addition to the above summary the following disclosure is detailed toinsure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention. Thisdisclosure, however, is not intended to prejudice that purpose of apatent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matterhow it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions offurther improvements.

For this reason the specific embodiments and alternate embodimentsthereof have been chosen for the purposes of illustration anddescription as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents a face view lookingdownstream from the upstream side of an automatic bail-forming apparatusand showing in particular the arrangement thereon of one embodiment of atubing cutoff and transfer mechanism;

FIG. 2 represents an exploded isometric view of the tubing cutoff andtransfer mechanism as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents a front and face view of the bail-forming apparatus ofFIG. I and looking upstream from the downstream side of the bail-formingapparatus and showing in particular the placement of the transferredtubing in relation to the wire and the bail-forming dies of thebail-forming apparatus;

FIG. 4 represents a side view, partly in section, of a preferredembodiment of a tubing advancing mechanism using a reciprocatingmovement to feed the tubing a determined amount;

FIG. 5 represents a sectional view of the tubing advancing mechanismwith the view being taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 6 represents another sectional view of the tubing advancingmechanism with the view being taken on the line 66 of FIG. 4 and lookingin the direction ofthe arrows;

FIG. 7 represents an exploded isometric view showing the components andtheir arrangement as used in the tubing advancing mechanism of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 represents a flow diagram of the pneumatic control systemproviding for the cycle operation of the tube cutting and transfermechanism in combination with the bail-forming apparatus;

FIG. 9 represents a side view of an alternate embodiment of a tubingcutoff and transferring mechanism in which a razor blade is provided andactuated to insure a smooth cutting of an end of the tubing;

FIG. 10 represents a face view of the cutoff and transfer mechanism ofFIG. 9;

FIG. 11 represents a face or front view of an alternate bailforrningapparatus in which the wire bail is provided with a plastic grip and theends of the wire bail are formed so that the ends are turned at rightangles to the plane of the bail to enable the bail to be hand insertedinto an eared container;

FIG. 12 represents in an enlarged view, partly fragmentary, thebail-making mechanism of FIG. 12 with the plastic grip handle mountedthereon and with the bail being shown in two stages of formingoperation;

FIG. 13 represents the righthand side view of FIG. 12 but with themechanism at a further stage of end-forming operation and with the endof the bail now bent at right angles to the shank of the bail;

FIG. 14 represents a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the arrangementof the apparatus for turning the ends of the wire bail to a positionwhich is at substantially right angles to the plane of the bail;

FIG. 15 represents a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 14 with theapparatus moved so as to form the substantially right angle bends of theends of the bail in its final formed condition;

FIG. 16 represents an isometric view of a hand-attachable bail in acompletely formed condition and with the ends formed as in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 represents a face view of the bail-forming apparatus of FIGS.11-15 but with bail-accumulating and transport apparatus mountedthereon;

FIG. 18 represents a diagrammatic face view showing a preferredpositioning of the transferring pins as provided with and actuated withthe apparatus of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 represents a fragmentary side view of the bail-accumulating andtransport apparatus of FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 represents a side view of the accumulating apparatus of FIG. 19,the view being partly in section and showing the mechanism in abail-receiving orientation condition of operation and further showing inparticular the manner in which a cycling motion is provided to thebail-ejecting and transporting mechanism;

FIG. 21 represents a somewhat diagrammatic and fragmentary end viewshowing a bail guide member with a bail-retaining end clip disposed toinsure the aligned retention of the bail on the slide guides of theaccumulating member;

FIG. 22 represents a fragmentary side sectional view of the clip of FIG.21 and showing the retaining clip disposed to receive a jusbformed bail;

FIG. 23 represents the retaining clip of FIG. 22 with the bail-retainingclip portion being deflected from the path of the advancing bail;

FIG. 24 represents the bail-retaining clip of FIG. 23 after the bail hasbeen moved leftwardly beyond the bail-retaining clip shoulder portion;

FIG. 25 represents a face view of an alternate pair of bailforming diesdisposed to bend the ball so that the handgrip portion is a straightconfiguration;

FIG. 26 represents the back view of the bail-forming ap' paratus of FIG.25 and showing the plastic tube receiving and transfer apparatus;

FIG. 27 represents a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 26 andshowing in particular the grip transfer arm in the tubing receivingposition;

FIG. 28 represents the sectional view of FIG. 27 but with the griptransfer arm moved to bring the cut tube into the wire-receivingposition;

FIG. 29 represents a plan view, partly diagrammatic, of an alternateplastic tubing feeding mechanism;

FIG. 30 represents an exploded isometric view of the alternate tubingfeeding mechanism of FIG. 29 by which is effected the delivery of apredetermined precise length of tubing to a cutoff and transferapparatus;

FIG. 31 represents a fragmentary view of an eared container with a bailmounted in the ears of the container and showing a bail in which thehandgrip portion is a substantially straight length and is substantiallyparallel to the axis of the ears of the container, the side lengthportions of the bail also being straight portions;

FIG. 32 represents an alternate configuration of the bail of FIG. 31,but with the side portions of this bail formed as curved lengths ratherthan as two straight portions;

FIG. 33 represents a bail similar to the bail of FIG. 32 but with theplastic grip portion of this bail, in addition to being offset from thegeneral curve of the bail, also curved in the same general are of thebail;

FIG. 34 represents a plan view, partly fragmentary and diagrammatic, ofan alternate plastic tubing receiving cutoff and transfer mechanism asadapted for high speed operation;

FIG. 35 represents a side view, partly in section of the mechanism ofFIG. 34, the view taken on the line 3535 of FIG. 34, and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 36 represents a rear view of the mechanism of FIG. 34 and lookingin the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 37 represents a partly diagrammatic schematic view of the airsupply circuit and regulatory system by which the mechanism of FIG. 34is actuated.

In the following description and in the claims various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, areintended to be generic in their application. Corresponding referencecharacters refer to like members throughout the several figures of thedrawings.

The drawings accompanying, and forming part of, this specificationdisclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explanationof the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understoodthat structural details may be modified in various respects withoutdeparture from the concept and principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TUBING CUTOFF AND TRANSFERRING MECHANISM AS USED WITHAN AUTOMATIC BAIL-FORMING AND A'I'I'ACHING MECHANISM Referring now tothe tubing cutoff and transfer mechanism as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,there is provided a grip transfer arm 50 which is pivotally carried by ashaft 51. This shaft is fixedly mounted in blocks 52 and 53 which areattached by screws 54 to a main plate 55. This main plate, as shown, isalso the main plate of a wire bail-forming apparatus such as shown in myU.S. Pat. No. 3,24l ,578 above-identified. Bearing bushings 56 arepress-fit mounted in bores 57 in arm 50 so that this arm is freelyrotatable around this shaft. Lower forwardly extending tongue 58 isformed as a part of the arm 50 and is grooved in the rearward portion ofthe upper and lower surfaces to provide retaining and engaging means forthe turned inner edges 60 and 61 of upper and lower grip plate 62 and63. These grip plates are resiliently retained on tongue 58 by means ofsprings 64 extending through holes formed in the upper and lower gripplates and also formed in the tongue 58. Upper and lower spring holderrods 65 are arranged to engage and retain the ends of the springs whichare stretched so as to urge the plates 62 and 63 toward the tongue 58.As assembled, the upper and lower plates as they lay on the forwardlyextending tongue are disposed to provide a guideway for a length ofplastic tubing fed by mechanism to be hereinafter described.

0n the inner surface of block 53 there is attached a thrust plate 67which is made of a selected thickness to provide a determined stop forthe advancing plastic tubing. In block 52 there is threadedly mounted acutoff bushing 68 which is preferably of hardened steel and has a basewhich is sized to snugly and slidably retain an advancing length oftubing. Attached to the lower left-hand side of the grip transfer arm 50is a hardened grip cutoff knife 70 which is removably attached to thearm 50 by means of flat head screws 71 and is maintained in a preciseposition by dowels 72. The forward portion of knife 70 is formed so asto provide a semicircular cutout 73 sized to slidably engage the outsideof the plastic tubing.

As assembled, arm 50 has knife 70 attached by screws 71 to the side ofsaid arm. The bushings 56 are mounted in bores 57 and then the shaft 51is slid through these bushings and also through the holes in blocks 52and 53. With thrust plate 67 attached to block 53, the blocks 52 and 53are mounted on main plate 55 by screws 54. Cutoff bushing 68 is mountedin block 62 and is adjusted so that cutoff knife 70 as it is swung onarm 50 is adjacent to the inner end of the bushing. To insure precisionand rigidity in the spacing and prevent unwanted movement, a stiffenerbar 74 is attached by cap screws 75 to the underside of blocks 52 and53.

Rotational movement of arm 50 is provided by means of a cammingmechanism which includes a cam follower bearing 76 carried by shaft 77mounted in aligned holes 78 and 79 in the upper portion of arm 50. Thisbearing 76 is retained in and is actuated by a box cam formed as acombination of an inner cam 80 and an outer cam 81 which are attached byscrews 82 to a movable plate 83 slidably retained by slide guides 84 and85. Movable plate 83 and guides 84 and 85 are part of the bailformingapparatus above-identified. The movable plate 83 is carried on the rearface of the main plate 55. Attached to the upper end of plate 83 are camfollower brackets 87 and 88 which have mounted on their upper endsrotatable cam followers 89 and 90. Extending outwardly from thesebrackets are spring brackets 91 and 92 which are disposed to receive andretain the upper ends of tension springs 93 and 94. The lower ends ofthese springs are mounted on and retained by pins 96 and 97 mounted inand extending from the arm 50. It is to be noted that the pins aredisposed to the rear of the axis of bushing 56 so that the tensionedsprings 93 and 94 tend to urge the arm 50 counterclockwise around theshaft 51. This spring action results in cam follower 76 tending toengage the outer face of the inner cam 80. Reciprocating motion isimparted to movable plate 83 by a pair of cams 98 and 99 carried on anupper shafi 100 of the bail-forming mechanism. These cams are seen inFIG. 1 wherein is also shown the disposition of the springs 93 and 94 intheir relationship to the grip transfer arm 50.

DESCRIPTION OF A PLASTIC TUBING MECHANISM USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEAUTOMATIC BAIL- FORMING AND ATTACHING MECHANISM Referring next to apreferred embodiment of a tubing feeding mechanism as seen in FIGS. 4,5, 6 and 7 there is shown apparatus where from a supply reel there issupplied a length of plastic tubing which, as it is advanced, is carriedover a grooved pulley Ill and to and through a guide bushing 112threadedly mounted in a threaded hole 113 formed in a slide block guideand frame 114. Pulley support bracket 115 is mounted on bushing 1 l2 andis retained in position by means of a nut 116. A cap screw 117 acts as ashah for pulley Ill and is carried in a threaded hole in bracket 115. Atubing guide generally identified as 118 in FIG. 7 in the exemplifiedform includes four guide rails I20 retained by end plates 120a and1201). The end plates 120a and 120!) have centrally positioned boressizes to act as guides for the tubing 110. The four guide rails as seenin FIGS. 5 and 6 are spaced so that their inner edges collectively actas a tubing guide.

Frame 114 includes a pair of bottom rails 12] and 122 upon which ismounted a front fixed block 124. This block is clamped to the rails bymeans of guide clamp I25 and screws 126. Clamp 125 may be loosened topermit adjustment of block 124 along the rails. A hinge plate 127 ismounted on each side of the front fixed block 124 and carries a pin 128upon which is pivotally mounted a pair of links 129. The lower portionof each of these links is provided with a hole sized to snugly receiveand retain a pivot pin I30. A cap member 132 has holes disposed in itsside, which holes pivotally receive the pivot pins 130.

As particularly seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 the front fixed block 124 hasits upwardly facing surface grooved to receive one of the guide rails120 and adjacent this groove the block is chamfered to provide a guidesurface for the plastic tubing. In like manner the cap member 132 hasits downwardly facing surface grooved to receive one of the guide rails120, and adjacent this groove the cap member is chamfered to provide amating guide surface for the plastic tubing. A flat spring 134 has oneend engaged by a set screw 135 carried in one up wardly extendingportion of the cap member and the other end of the spring engages pin128. Lefi of the pin is a bridge block 136 which is attached to thehinge plates 127 and between this block I36 and the top of the cap thereis disposed a compression spring 137.

Still referring to FIGS. 4 through 7 there is exemplified a movableplastic gripping mechanism which uses as a cycling means an air cylinder139 which is mounted to the underside of the tubing guide assembly 118and as viewed in FIG. 4 toward the right end of the assembly shown. Tothe end of the piston rod of cylinder 139 is attached a slide block 140which has transversely drilled and threaded holes formed therein toreceive cap screws 141. These cap screws retain and position ballbearing rollers 142. As shown, there are four such rollers mounted tothe slide block and these rollers are arranged in pairs and are disposedto engage the underside of bottom rails 12! and 122. A verticallydisposed hole in the upstanding portion of block 140 provides apassageway for bolt 143 which engages a threaded hole in the undersideof pusher block 144. The upper portion of block 140 is sized to slidebetween bars 121 and 122 which provide a guide control for thereciproca-

1. An apparatus for applying plastic grips and the like to wire bailhandles, said apparatus used in combination with a wire bail-formingmechanism adapted to receive, feed, cut and form wire so as to provide awire bail for attachment to an eared container, said bail-forming andgrip-applying apparatus including: (a) upper and lower dies on thebail-forming apparatus, said dies having their mid-portions contoured toreceive and retain a determined length of plastic tubing of selecteddiameter as a length of wire inserted therethrough is being bent into agenerally U-shaped bail; (b) a grip transfer arm mounted on theapparatus and at its initial tubing-receiving limit of movement disposedto receive an advancing end of a length of tubing and at its othertubing-delivering limit of movement to position the gripped tubing inway of an advancing wire used to make the bail handle; (c) means formoving the transfer arm to its limits of movement in timed relation tothe wire feeding and cutting operation; (d) a tubing advance mechanismhaving a check mechanism disposed to engage the tubing so as to permitonly a forward passage of the tubing and a movable gripping mechanismdisposed to grip the tubing when moved in an advancing motion from adelivery start to a delivery completed position and to slide on thetubing when moved from the delivery completed to the delivery startposition; (e) means for cutting the length of tubing advanced into thegrip transfer arm from a longer length of tubing as the transfer arm ismoved from its tubing receiving position to its tubing deliveryposition, and (f) a tubing retaining means provided on the grip transferarm including a forward-extending tongue portion providing a thrustsupport substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tubing beingused as a grip portion of the bail, said tongue having a C-shaped meansfor retaining and positioning the tubing as it is received and movedtoward and to the dies of the bailforming apparatus, the open side ofthe C-shaped retaining means adapted to permit the tubing to be drawnfrom the retaining means while the tubing is mounted on the wire of thebail.
 2. An apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as inclaim 1 wherein the forwardly-extending tongue of the grip arm is of athickness substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tubing, saidtongue further having upper and lower grooves formed therein; and inwhich there is provided upper and lower grip plates adapted for mountingon the tongue, each grip plate having an inturned edge disposed to enterand be retained in one of said grooves, the outer edges of the platesbeing contoured longitudinally so that with the upper and lower plAtespositioned with their inturned edges in the grooves on the tongue theseplates with the forward face of the tongue provide the C-shapedreceiving means for the tubing, and in which there is provided means forresiliently retaining the plates on the tongue to permit the plates tobe cammed from retaining engagement of the tube by the tube itself asthe transfer arm is moved from its tubing delivery position to itstubing receiving position.
 3. An apparatus for applying plastic grips towire bails as in claim 2 in which there is provided a plurality of holesformed in a predetermined pattern in the tongue, each hole providing apassageway through the tongue and in which the means for resilientlyretaining the plates on the tongue are tension springs carried in theseholes in the tongue, and in which the ends of the tension springs extendthrough holes formed in the same predetermined pattern in at least onegrip plate, and in which there is provided means for engaging andretaining the ends of the springs with at least one end being retainedon the outside of at least one grip plate.
 4. An apparatus for applyingplastic grips to wire bails as in claim 1 in which the grip transfer armis pivotally carried on a pair of support blocks, and in which there isprovided at least one razor blade or the like carried by and mounted ona block so as to have its cutting edge in position to engage and cut thetubing carried by the grip transfer arm as it, the arm, is moved fromits tubing receiving position to its tubing delivery position whereatthe wire is fed through the tube.
 5. An apparatus for applying plasticgrips to wire bails as in claim 4 in which the grip transfer arm pivotmeans additionally carries a tubing guide arm in adjacent proximity,said tubing guide arm having a tube receiving passageway sized toreceive and pass an infeeding length of tubing, and there is providedmeans for moving the tubing guide arm in synchronism with the transferguide arm, whereby as said tubing guide arm is moved it is brought inway of and past the cutting edge of the razor blade.
 6. An apparatus forapplying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 5 in which the extentof synchronized movement of the tubing guide arm is limited to a forwardmotion swing which is terminated when the guide arm movement approachesthe path of the wire advance as the wire is moved in a determined pathin the bail-forming mechanism.
 7. An apparatus for applying plasticgrips to wire bails as in claim 6 in which there is provided a pair ofrazor blades, each blade being carried on a support block, the bladesbeing disposed and positioned to precisely cut tubing carried in thegrip transfer arm ends to provide a precise predetermined length oftubing.
 8. An apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as inclaim 1 in which there is provided means for forming the bail ends so asto be hand-attached to an eared container, said ends being formed withan intermediate short length of wire bent to extend inwardly atsubstantially right angles to the immediately adjacent shank portion ofthe bail and in the plane of the bail, and having a short distal endlength bent at substantially right angles to the immediately connectedintermediate short length of wire and to the plane of the bail.
 9. Anapparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 8 inwhich there is provided a bail ejecting, transporting and accumulatingapparatus actuated in response to the forming action of the bail-makingoperation.
 10. An apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails asin claim 9 in which there is provided a latch means disposed to engage aplurality of portions of the just-formed bail and disposed to providemeans for stripping the bail from the ejecting mechanism as themechanism is moved from bail-ejecting to the bail-forming condition. 11.An apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 1 inwhich the grip transfer arm support and actuating means includes a fIxedsupport and a pair of support blocks mounted thereon, a pivoted shaftcarried by the blocks and disposed to retain the grip transfer arm in apivoted manner on the shaft; a plate carried by the bail-formingapparatus and moved in response to the actuation of the bail-makingapparatus; a cam carried by and on the plate and movable therewith, anda cam follower carried by the grip transfer arm and actuated by the camcarried by the plate so as to swing the grip transfer arm on the pivotedshaft and between determined limits.
 12. An apparatus for applyingplastic grips to wire bails as in claim 11 in which there is provided atension spring attached at its one end to a fixed support carried by thebail-forming apparatus and at its other end is attached to the grip armso as to move the grip arm to its tubing receiving position.
 13. Anapparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 1 inwhich the tubing advance mechanism includes a guide frame having a fixedblock disposed to act with a pivoted cap member, the fixed block and capmember disposed to provide the check mechanism for permitting a one-wayforward passage of the tubing, and in which there is a movable blockcarried in the guide frame and having a pivoted cam member, said movableblock and pivoted cap disposed to provide the movable gripping mechanismand grasp the tubing when moved in an advancing motion and to slide onthe tubing when moved in a returning motion.
 14. An apparatus forapplying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 13 in which the movableblock combination is moved by means of a pneumatic cylinder.
 15. Anapparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 13 inwhich the guide frame includes a pair of rails upon which the movableblock is reciprocably carried by means of two pairs of rollers disposedto ride upon an inner surface of the rails and a like two pairs ofrollers are disposed to ride upon the opposite outer side of the railsas the movable block is reciprocably cycled.
 16. An apparatus forapplying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 1 in which the wirebail-forming dies are contoured so as to produce a bail wherein thehandgrip portion is offset from the general configuration of the bail.17. An apparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 1in which wire bail-forming dies are contoured so as to produce a bail inwhich the hand-grip portion is a straight length and in mounted positionon an eared container is in a plane substantially parallel to the earsof the container.
 18. An apparatus for applying plastic grips to wirebails as in claim 1 in which the wire bail-forming dies are contoured soas to produce a bail in which the extent of wire portions between thehandgrip and the ear engaging ends are two straight portions disposed atan angle to each other.
 19. An apparatus for applying plastic grips towire bails as in claim 1 wherein the grip transfer arm is a transfermember carried on guide means so as to be rapidly and reciprocably movedin a single plane, said transfer member having as its C-shaped tubingretaining means a cylindrical bore through the tongue portion, whichbore is a sliding fit for the tubing providing the plastic grip, saidcylindrical bore having an opening along all its forward side, saidopening being about one-third circumference of the bore.
 20. Anapparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 19 inwhich the means for moving the transfer arm is a pneumatic cylinderwhose piston rod acts as a portion of the guide means, and in whichother portions of the guide means is a slide guide reciprocably retainedin guide means provided in a support bracket attached to thebail-forming apparatus.
 21. An apparatus for applying plastic grips towire bails as in claim 20 in which the means for cutting the tubingincludes a cutoff bushing carried in the support bracket and in whichthe transfer member carries a stop plate disposed to slid in front ofand block any unwaNted advancement of tubing during the time thetransfer member is moved from its tubing-receiving position.
 22. Anapparatus for applying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 21 inwhich the sidewall opening in the cylindrical bore through the tongueportion is of sufficient width to permit the tubing when squeezed towardthe wire upon which it is mounted to cause the tubing to be flattenedand drawn through said sidewall opening.
 23. An apparatus for applyingplastic grips to wire bails as in claim 1 in which there is providedtubing presence detection means communicating with the C-shaped tubingretaining means in the tongue so that in the absence of a length oftubing in the C-shaped retaining means the movement of the grip transferarm is deactivated.
 24. An apparatus for applying plastic grips and thelike to wire bail handles, said apparatus used in combination with awire bail-forming mechanism adapted to receive, feed, cut and form wireso as to provide a wire bail for attachment to an eared container, saidbail-forming and grip-applying apparatus including: (a) upper and lowerdies on the bail-forming apparatus, said dies having their mid-portionscontoured to receive and retain a determined length of plastic tubing ofselected diameter as a length of wire inserted therethrough is beingbent into a generally U-shaped bail; (b) a grip transfer arm mounted onthe apparatus and at its initial tube-receiving limit of movementdisposed to receive an advancing end of a length of tubing and at itsother, tube-delivering, limit of movement to position the gripped tubingin way of an advancing wire used to make the bail handle; (c) means formoving the transfer arm to its limits of movement in timed relation tothe wire feeding and cutting operation; (d) a tubing advance mechanismhaving a pair of meshed gears each having a contoured groove formed inits toothed face and in meshed engagement the opposing grooves provide atubing-gripping guide channel, said gears rotated by a one-way drivemechanism disposed to rotate one of the meshed gears in only onedirection, said one-way drive mechanism having a positive stop means forpreventing reverse rotation of the gears; (e) means for cutting thelength of tubing advanced into the grip transfer arm from a longerlength of tubing as the transfer arm is moved from its tubing receivingposition to its tubing delivery position, and (f) a tubing retainingmeans provided on the grip transfer arm including a forward-extendingtongue portion providing a thrust support substantially equal to theouter diameter of the tubing being used as a grip portion of the bail,said tongue having a C-shaped means for retaining and positioning thetubing as it is received and moved towards and to the dies of thebail-forming apparatus, the open side of the C-shaped retaining meansadapted to permit the tubing to be drawn from the retaining means whilethe tubing is mounted on the wire of the bail.
 25. An apparatus forapplying plastic grips to wire bails as in claim 24 in which there ismeans for providing a determined amount of rotation to the meshed gearsby a rack and gear mechanism actuated by a cylinder.
 26. A method ofproviding a plastic tubing handgrip on a wire bail handle as the wire isadvanced into a bail-forming and applying apparatus, the handgrip beingcut from a longer length of tubing and transferred to a precise positionin axial alignment with a substantially straight length of wire beforethe wire is bent into a generally U-shaped bail, the method includingthe steps of: (a) actuating a tubing advancing mechanism to supply alength of plastic tubing to and through a cutoff bushing; (b) feeding adetermined length of tubing into a grip transfer arm assembly having aC-shaped passageway providing a grip retaining means and while said armis in its tubing receiving position; (c) moving the grip arm to a tubingdelivering and mounting position so that the tubing is brought in way ofthe path of an advancing lengTh of wire, said tubing in its advance fromsaid initial position being moved by the cutoff bushing so as to besevered at a determined length; (d) detecting the presence of a tubinglength in the grip transfer arm so that an absence of a length of tubingprevents actuation of the feeding of the wire; (e) maintaining the griptransfer arm in the tube delivering position of movement while a wire inthe bail-forming apparatus is fed through the cut tubing; (f) returningthe grip transfer arm assembly to its tubing-receiving position whileand as the bail-forming apparatus is actuated, and (g) forming the wireand mounted plastic tubing into a generally U-shaped bail.
 27. A methodof providing a plastic tubing handgrip on a wire bail handle as in claim26 in which the moving of the grip arm includes the further steps ofmoving the C-shaped passageway into the path of the advancing length ofwire so that the open side of the opening is opposite to the path ofmovement of the grip arm.
 28. A method of providing a plastic tubinghandgrip on a wire bail handle as in claim 26 in which the moving of thegrip transfer arm assembly is by means of pneumatic cylinder moving thetransfer arm in a determined plane.
 29. A method of providing a plastictubing handgrip on a wire bail handle as in claim 26 in which theactuating of tubing advancing mechanism includes the further steps ofgrasping the tubing in a one-way gripping mechanism and moving thegripping mechanism a determined distance to advance the tubing through aone-way check mechanism.
 30. A method of providing a plastic tubinghandgrip on a wire as in claim 29 in which there is provided the furtherstep of bringing a stop member in way of the advancing tubing during theperiod of time the grip transfer arm is moved from tubing receivingposition.